Patent SG-11201909866V-A (SG)
Title: Markers of totipotency and methods of use
Inventor: TEE WEE WEI
IPC: C12N5/0735
Filed: 2018-05-30
Abstract: WO 18/ 222139 Al (12) INTERNATIONAL APPLICATION PUBLISHED UNDER THE PATENT COOPERATION TREATY (PCT) (19) World Intellectual Property Organization International Bureau (43) International Publication Date 06 December 2018 (06.12.2018) WIP0 I PCT ~~ll~~~~~~~~ 011101010VIIIOH olo om minnow° ow (10) International Publication Number WO 2018/222139 Al (51) International Patent Classification: C12N 5/0735 (2010.01) (21) International Application Number: PCT/SG2018/050268 (22) International Filing Date: 30 May 2018 (30.05.2018) (25) Filing Language: English (26) Publication Language: English (30) Priority Data: 10201704380R 29 May 2017 (29.05.2017) SG (71) Applicant: AGENCY FOR SCIENCE, TECHNOLO- GY AND RESEARCH [SG/SG]; 1 Fusionopolis Way, #20-10 Connexis North Tower, Singapore 138632 (SG). (72) Inventor: TEE, Wee Wei; c/o Institute of Molecular and Cell Biology, 61 Biopolis Drive, Proteos, Singapore 138673 (SG). (74) Agent: SPRUSON & FERGUSON (ASIA) PTE LTD; P.O. Box 1531, Robinson Road Post Office, Singapore 903031 (SG). (81) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of national protection available): AE, AG, AL, AM, AO, AT, AU, AZ, BA, BB, BG, BH, BN, BR, BW, BY, BZ, CA, CH, CL, CN, CO, CR, CU, CZ, DE, DJ, DK, DM, DO, DZ, EC, EE, EG, ES, FI, GB, GD, GE, GH, GM, GT, HN, HR, HU, ID, IL, IN, IR, IS, JO, JP, KE, KG, KH, KN, KP, KR, KW, KZ, LA, LC, LK, LR, LS, LU, LY, MA, MD, ME, MG, MK, MN, MW, MX, MY, MZ, NA, NG, NI, NO, NZ, OM, PA, PE, PG, PH, PL, PT, QA, RO, RS, RU, RW, SA, SC, SD, SE, SG, SK, SL, SM, ST, SV, SY, TH, TJ, TM, TN, TR, TT, TZ, UA, UG, US, UZ, VC, VN, ZA, ZM, ZW. (84) Designated States (unless otherwise indicated, for every kind of regional protection available): ARIPO (BW, GH, GM, KE, LR, LS, MW, MZ, NA, RW, SD, SL, ST, SZ, TZ, UG, ZM, ZW), Eurasian (AM, AZ, BY, KG, KZ, RU, TJ, TM), European (AL, AT, BE, BG, CH, CY, CZ, DE, DK, EE, ES, FI, FR, GB, GR, HR, HU, IE, IS, IT, LT, LU, LV, MC, MK, MT, NL, NO, PL, PT, RO, RS, SE, SI, SK, SM, TR), OAPI (BF, BJ, CF, CG, CI, CM, GA, GN, GQ, GW, KM, ML, MR, NE, SN, TD, TG). Declarations under Rule 4.17: — of inventorship (Rule 4.17(iv)) Published: with international search report (Art. 21(3)) in black and white; the international application as filed contained color or greyscale and is available for download from PATENTSCOPE (54) Title: MARKERS OF TOTIPOTENCY AND METHODS OF USE (57) : The present invention relates to methods of determining a potency state of an embryonic stem cell (ESC) in culture, comprising detecting the expression level of Negative Elongation Factor Complex Member A (Nelfa) in the embryonic stem cell, and correlating the expression level of Nelfa in said embryonic stem cell with that of a reference sample to determine the potency state of said embryonic stem cell. The present invention also provides methods of selecting totipotent-like embryonic stem cells (ESCs) from a population of embryonic stem cells in culture using an anti-Nelfa antigen binding protein. Methods of inducing totipotency in an embryonic stem cell in culture, methods of improving the reprogramming efficiency of a somatic cell into an induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) and methods of reprogramming a somatic cell into a totipotent stem cell by inducing Nelfa expression are also provided. Cells comprising an expression vector encoding Nelfa as well as kits to be used in the methods of the invention are also provided.